


Ghost Rider: Hellfire and Brimstone

by Mayasco



Series: Spirits of Vengeance [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Ghost Rider (Comics)
Genre: Explicit Language, Gen, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-04-22 17:53:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22198960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mayasco/pseuds/Mayasco
Summary: A new threat arises that forces the hosts of the last two Spirits of Vengeance to reunite. And it’s a good thing one of them is a detective, as they will first need to figure out who the threat is?
Series: Spirits of Vengeance [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1599547
Comments: 3
Kudos: 2





	1. The Traitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before we meet up with the heroes of this story, we must first encounter the antagonist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recently decided to add on to the story. I will admit outright, I’m not sure how frequently I will update this. Just wanted to get that out of the way.

_Hell_

Down in the deepest parts of the infernal pit, multiple screams of agony can be heard. For this is the Ninth Circle of Hell. The place specifically designated to hold and dole punishment to history's greatest traitors. The demons here greatly enjoy their jobs and can be often found demonstrating their pleasure in dealing out torture to whatever soul finds itself here. That is until right this very second. The demons have heard rumblings that they were going to have a special visitor today, but they didn't believe it until right now. It would seem the Arch-Lord of the Ninth Circle, Belathauzer, has given this person, no, this being, passage. As they walk through the torture chamber, the demons avert their eyes and get out of their way. The figure is walking with a purpose. A mission. They make their way to a very specific room holding a very special individual. They enter to reveal the former Archangel of Vengeance, Zadkiel, strung up. Bloodied by the hooks and the chains that have penetrated his body.

Zadkiel, in his defeated state, looks up at his visitor. Even though he never met them in person, he knows exactly who they are. He has heard stories of their malevolence. In fact, they would have been one of the first "abominations," as he puts it, that he would have dealt with once he took over Heaven. With animosity in his voice, Zadkiel asks, “What the fuck do you want?”

The mysterious figure chuckles. “I just wanted to see it for myself. The great Archangel Zadkiel a prisoner in Hell.” They approach Zadkiel, getting right in his face. “But you’re not an archangel anymore, are you? No, this isn’t a visage you’ve taken on. This is ... you. Your soul. Something or someone made you a mortal man, didn't they?" Zadkiel spits blood in their face, but they wipe it off and laugh at his defiance. "I'll take that as a yes." They grab one of the hooks in his body and twist it.

"Arghh!" Zadkiel screams. "You better hope I don't get out of these chains."

"Or what?" They twist the hook again, causing Zadkiel great pain. "Planning to bravado me to death? I'll take my chances." They conjure up a chair to take a seat. "What I want to know is what, or who, did it?" 

"And what makes you think I'm going to answer your questions, you monstrous piece of filth?" Zadkiel asks, in a gravelly voice. "You don't think I can take everything you throw at me, literally or figuratively? I have suffered worse from stronger beings than you."

"Ah, but therein lies the problem. You are not as strong as you used to be. When you were at your full strength, maybe I would have perceived you as a threat. Maybe. But alas, you're nothing more than a human now. A human soul that deserves to be tormented for all the innocent lives you have ruined. All the ones you have taken. For your pride, your wrath, your greed, and your delusions of grandeur," the mystery person responds. They stand up and yank one of the hooks from Zadkiel's body. "You know, when you got here, everyone wanted you. Everyone wanted to be the one to abuse you. And let's be honest, quite a few of them had very convincing arguments for why you deserved to be in their own special little circles of Hell. You definitely sinned quite a bit. Ironic for an angel."

"Archangel," Zadkiel corrects, weakly.

Zadkiel's visitor waves off the correction. "Semantics. Plus, it doesn't exactly matter anymore, does it?" they ask, rhetorically. They pull the hook to Zadkiel's face and trace it on his skin, all the while considering where to shove it in. "But back to what I was saying, it's not only the fact that you sinned a lot while you were on Earth. No, it's also the fact that some of them wanted revenge. For example, Beelzebub and you both fought on the side of Lucifer during the Heavenly War, but where he was sent down to Hell and made into the demon he is today, you, because of your cowardice and your treachery, God spared you from ending up in the pit. You got lucky and where sent to Earth to serve your penance for betraying the Heavenly Host. Now, he would have loved to get his hands on you, but, unfortunately for him, Belathauzer had the little argument I just made. You were a traitor to your own kind. You betrayed God & the angels who fought alongside him when you sided with Lucifer, the angels who sided Lucifer when you gave them up, and then you betrayed those in your service. You lied to them. You killed them when you saw fit. To you, they were nothing but lapdogs, which made it that much easier for you to do to them whatever you saw fit. And, of course, you betrayed those Spirits of Vengeance you created when you started to kill them and steal their power for yourself." And it was with that statement, Zadkiel's tormentor had a realization. "Wait a minute. Was it them who did this to you?" Zadkiel averts his eyes in shame. When he did that, his visitor knew exactly where to place the hook. They grabbed Zadkiel's head and says, "Look me in the eyes when I'm asking you a question." They begin to slowly pierce Zadkiel's right eyeball with the hook. The former archangel screams in agony and begins moving around to avoid the hook, only making it worse the more he moved. "I said, was it the Spirits of Vengeance, who you created to punish the humans, who made you mortal?"

Zadkiel, hook still in his eye, asks, "Why do you even want to know? This isn't a part of that harebrained scheme of yours, is it?"

"How do you know about that?" they ask him. They have tried incredibly hard to keep their plans a secret, only allowing those they trust in on the plan, which means that someone has a big mouth.

"It doesn't matter how I know. All that matters is that I do. And if you think that the Spirits of Vengeance will follow you, you are solely mistaken. If, and I mean big if, they were the ones who did this to me, their creator, what makes you think they’ll lower themselves to serve a mutation like yourself.”

"I will admit, I do admire the fact that you have been able to keep your inflated sense of self down here, but that won’t last that much longer,” the entity responds. “And also, who said I would want to have them serve me? Maybe I want to destroy them before they have a chance to get to me? Wouldn’t you want that, for them to suffer? Or must it be by your hands that vengeance be delivered?”

Zadkiel manages to get out a slight chuckle. “Your mind games won’t work on me, you flawed abortion.”

They respond, "Maybe they don't today. And maybe they won't tomorrow. But eventually, everyone, no matter how self-righteous they may be, will become susceptible to my manipulation. No one has proven immune to my abilities."

"Well, there is a first time for everything," Zadkiel responds. Zadkiel's visitor yanks the hook in his eye, taking his eye out in the process. He yells out, "Arghh!"

"Relax," the figure says, "it will grow back. Granted, it is a very slow and painful process.” They leave Zadkiel to wallow in his own misery. They encounter some demons waiting outside Zadkiel’s room. They tell them, “He’s all yours.” The demons, ecstatic by that response, rush into the room to give Zadkiel his daily helping of torture. As they walk away, once again, most of the demons avoid contact at all costs. The figure continues walking until they get to Belathauzer's throne room. When they get to the gargantuan, reddish doors, they make them open by themselves. When they enter the throne room, they encounter the red-skinned, red-eyed, two-face (literally) demon called Belathauzer atop his ornately designed throne. "Hello Belathauzer."

"Hello. I'm hope your journey to my little abode proved an auspicious one," Belathauzer responds, from both faces simultaneously.

"Not as much as I hoped," the visitor replies. "He is a tough one to crack right now. He still has some shred of dignity." They approach Belathauzer's throne. "But that is as I expected. For he has been here for only a few weeks.” They pause when they realize something. “It just occurred to me, I did not congratulate you on gaining custody on Zadkiel’s soul.”

“Thank you, I worked very hard to get it. As soon as I heard he was here, I wanted to get my hands on him,” Belathauzer explains. "For the betrayal he commited on all of our former angelic brothers and sisters. While we may have still lost against God's forces, we would have lost together. That disloyal, arrogant prick. We fought together. We bled together. We lost together. But that opportunist sold us out for a softer sentence." He spits hellfire on the floor to show his disgust.

"I sometimes forget that you used to be an angel as well," the being comments. "No matter. I'm glad we were able to reach an agreement. You and your minions torture him to brink of insanity and, when he's good and ready, he'll give me the answers I so desperately want. Though I have an inkling of an idea what the answer will be."

"And what do you plan on doing once you get the information out of him?" Belathauzer asks.

"No offense, Belathauzer, but that is on a need to know basis, and you don't need to know. But, do not worry, for my plans do not concern you."

"And how can I be sure of that? After all we are both evil, scheming against one another is kind of what we do, at least those of us that run in different circles, shall we say," Belathauzer comments.

"That may be true, and while I do believe that evil is a strong word, rest assured, my issues are not with you. My issues are with someone who needs to be treated to a taste of his own medicine. Someone who needs to pay for the things they’ve done to me and the injustice they put me through. All because I didn’t want to play into their little plan. I believe it is high time for them to vacate their throne & I look forward to be the one to take their place.”

"You have ambition, I'll give you that," Belathauzer compliments. “Well, I look forward to ruling alongside you sometime in the, preferably, near future.”

"Likewise," they respond. “I would like you to keep me posted on Zadkiel’s progress if you can, Belathauzer.”

"I shall see to it that you get updated as soon as I do," Belathauzer says.

The figure leaves Belathauzer's domain. While they would like confirmation, they do have their suspicions. While Doctor Strange has the capability to be the Sorcerer Supreme, he's not at that level just yet. The only thing, aside from a powerful spell, that can make an archangel mortal, hell even just an angel mortal, is the removal of their wings, and they are immune to conventional weaponry. That rules out most of the other heroes that currently populate Earth. That only leaves his precious Spirits of Vengeance. They have enough strength to fight an archangel, and they command hellfire through their weapons, which does have the capacity to harm angels, and even demons.

They have heard of Zadkiel's exploits on Earth, so they know that the Spirits are an endangered species. They also know that Zadkiel used a portion of his power to create each and every one of them. There are rumblings of only two surviving members of the group. And they must be the two most powerful members, for, if they were the ones that made Zadkiel mortal, they were able to take down a near-fully powered archangel. Regardless if they did or did not kill Zadkiel, one thing is for certain. They are threats that need to be taken care of. There is no doubt in their mind, the Spirits of Vengeance will one day stand in their way in their quest for conquest. "The Spirits of Vengeance must die. But first, I shall deal with the mole in my circle of trust."


	2. Something, or Someone, is coming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One of the hosts of a Spirit of Vengeance encounters a demon that accidentally let slips a warning for him and the other host.

_Abandoned Warehouse, night, 1 week later_

A bloodied, red-skinned body, dressed in clothing typical of a homeless person, is flung through a window, landing outside on glass. The horned figure begins crawling through the glass, in an attempt to get as far away from his assailant as possible. He soon hears footsteps behind himself, and begins crawling faster. A sudden, sharp pain in his upper thigh makes him stop, groaning in pain. The kind of pain closely associated to getting stabbed by a knife infused with hell-fire. He looks back at his attacker, wanting to look him in the eye as he kneels over his victim. "Why can't you just leave me and my kind alone?"

The wielder of the knife, Detective Michael Badilino, laughs at the question. "Oh gee, I don't know. When am I going to have to stop dealing with little demon foot soldiers, like yourself, here in my city?"

"I wasn't in your city," the demon claims.

"You were in Encino. That's still a part of Los Angeles. You do know that, right?" Michael asks. He twists the knife and the demon stifles a groan. "You deserve that simply for how stupid that statement was." He twists the knife again. "You deserve that for your actions here. I mean, come on, preying on those in L.A. trying to make it big. Offering to make their dreams come true in exchange for their souls. I'm pretty sure you don't have the juice for that. That was all just a ploy to get them alone, so you can murder them and then cut out their hearts? What for, for sustenance?" The demon refuses to answer. "Fine. Don't talk right now. You're going to crack eventually. So, just listen for now. You are not the first demon I've had to deal with in the last week. Hell, you're not even the only one I've dealt with today. There are more demons in Los Angeles than ever before. Prior to this past week, I've dealt with one or two demons, max. Something's up."

"What makes you think that?"

"Exactly what I just said. Before, very little amount of demons were here in Los Angeles, and I've been a police officer for years. But now, it's like they're everywhere. So, what gives?"

"What makes you think I would know if anything was going down?"

"Just call it a hunch. So let me ask again, what gives?" Michael asks, with more authority in his voice.

"I don't know."

This response does not please Michael. He puts his knee on the demon's leg where he stabbed him, to make sure he can't get too far away. Michael pulls the knife out, takes off one of the shoes the demon was wearing, and puts the knife right next to one of it's three toes. "Let's try this one more time, what gives?"

"I don't know. And even if I did, I would never tell you."

"Wrong answer." Michael cuts the demon's toe off, blood spurting out of the wound.

"OWWWWWW!!!!!" the demon howls in pain. "You're a FUCKING psychopath," he yells at Michael.

"Doubtful, otherwise something probably would have come up when I was being evaluated to become a police officer. But even if that was true, at least my psychopathy is aimed towards creatures like you. Things that shouldn't even be walking the Earth to begin with."

"Funny, you could say the same thing about that _thing _inside you," the demon tells Michael, with extra disdain when he said "thing."

"Ah, but you see, the difference between Vengeance and you is that, despite his, and my, methods, we both are still on the side of good. Whereas you, you seek to do nothing than cause discord," the detective replies.

"That seems pretty speciesist of you. Assuming that all demons want the same thing, just because we are demons."

"No. I'm not that black and white. I don't think all demons are the same, because I haven't met all of the demons. For all I know, some of you are like me. Questionable methods, but still, you create more good than bad. Maybe you target scumbags. You're cleaning up the streets, killing murderers and pedophiles. I can't be too mad at that. I don't think all demons are bad guys. I've an angel, nay an archangel, and those guys are supposed to be good. This one was a dick." He puts the bloodied, serrated edge of his blade to the middle toe of the demon. "Let me clear, I'll cut both of them off in one foul swoop, if you do not give me the information I'm looking for. Or, at least, point me in the direction of someone who could."

The demon spits at Michael's face. "Fuck ... you."

"OK then." Michael pulls the knife back, and swings it towards the demon's toes, chopping them both off.

The demon squirms, but can't get away. He screams, "You deserve what's coming to you, you sick son of a bitch!"

Now, he's getting somewhere. "And what, pray tell, is coming to me?" The demon stays silent after losing a lot of blood. He starts to lose consciousness. "Nope, can't have that." Michael uses hell-fire to cauterize the demon's wounds, preventing further blood loss. "You already told me that something is coming for me. You may as well tell me what."

"I'd rather face oblivion then to piss them off, so you can go fuck yourself."

"Them? So it's more of a 'someone' not really a 'something,' huh?" he asks. Once again, the demon becomes quiet. "Oh come on, don't hold back on me now. Because if you don't, I will kill you."

"Go ahead. Kill me. I'm not going to be a rat. My only regret will not being alive to see the flesh torn off the two of you."

This statement piqued Michael's interest. He knows that Vengeance does not have flesh. He is an ethereal spirit. And when he takes form, he just a skeleton encased in hell-fire. So, obviously the demon is not talking about him. "The two of us? Do you mean, me and Robbie?" The demon realizes that he messed up. Michael twists the demon's foot. "Did you mean me and Robbie?"

"I'd rather die."

"Fine, be that way," Michael says. His flesh starts burning off the reveal his skull, which is quickly encased in fire. Vengeance is now kneeling on the demon. He grabs the demon's head, yanks it off of his body, and then incinerates the head, to make sure the demon stays dead. Vengeance burns the body, to get rid of any evidence. He hears a footstep off to the side of him. The poor soul that the demon had captured is walking away, barefoot. The skull's fire is soon extinguished, and Michael's flesh begins forming. He slowly approaches the woman. "Don't be afraid."

"What the hell was that?" she shudders. "One minute I was meeting with a totally normal looking guy and the next thing I know, his skin turns red and horns start appearing on his head. He looked like a ..."

"A demon? That's because he was one."

"That's not possible," she says.

He tilts his head in confusion. "Why? I see the cross around your neck. You believe in God. Why can't you believe in the other thing?"

"I see your point," she admits. "Can you take me home?"

"Um, I don't really..." he begins, but then looks at her. She's terrified. She's been through a traumatic experience. Is he really going to let someone like that walk home, by herself, barefoot? "Sure. I have a motorcycle. I hope that's OK."

"At this point, I'll be fine with a windowless van."

"No, you wouldn't. And you shouldn't," he states. He escorts her over to his motorcycle in silence. "Where do you live?" he asks. She tells him and he takes her home. Throughout the whole ride, they never spoke one word to each other. When he arrives to her home, she gets off his motorcycle. Before she can get too far away, he tells her, "If you tell anyone about what happened tonight, you're going to have to omit certain details."

"Like what?"

"Well, obviously you can't tell them you were kidnapped by a demon. Even with all the crazy shit that has been going on, that will still probably be a tough pill to swallow for some people. The other thing is, you can't tell them about me. If you must, avoid giving them any details about what I am and what you saw me do. It's best if I operate in the shadows. Are we clear?"

"Crystal."

"Good. Take care." She walks up her driveway and he drives off. "I need to warn Robbie." Michael has done a good enough job keeping Robbie out of things. He's made sure to take care of anything that has come up. But he's not sure if he can. He doesn't know what kind of threat is coming, and he doesn't want Robbie to be unprepared. He drives to Robbie's house and decides to wait until morning. If he misses him when he leaves for work, he'll just follow him. Either way, Robbie needs to know that his life is in danger, once again.


End file.
